Zenith

ICT4D Week 2018

Sunday, August 13, 2017

What makes GOCOP thick!

It is my pleasure to welcome everyone to this historic
event. Today is a major milestone for our Guild, which was formed about four
years ago to check all forms of professional misconduct by new media
proprietors and their journalists. Be it blackmail, fake news, rumour
mongering, or copyright infringement.

GOCOP has grown in leaps, and so has been its influence. At
our inaugural meeting on October 9, 2013, we had only nine members in
attendance. Last night when we had our congress and elected new leaders, the
room overflowed with members. We now have at least 55 members, with many more
members queuing up to join, indicating a dramatic ballooning of the nation’s
online media space.

Yet, becoming a member of GOCOP does not come easy.

Our constitution demands that to be admitted:

a. You must have practised journalism for at least 10 years.

b. Non journalist who establishes an online news publication
must appoint an editor who has practised for at least 10 years.

c. Your company must be registered as a media entity with
the Corporate Affairs Commission.

d. Members must have verifiable and functional office in
Nigeria.

e. You must have a minimum of two reporters and other layers
of staff.

f. Your online publication must have been in existence for a
minimum of one year.

g. You must be recommended by at least two financial members
of the association.

h. To be admitted to the Association, the Screening
Committee must certify that you have met the requirements (a to g) above.

You may lose membership:

a. If you fail to keep your financial obligations to the
Association for at least three years.

b. If you are proven to have engaged in any form of
unethical conduct.

We have an Ethics/Disciplinary Committee, and membership of
GOCOP is usually revoked once it is proven that a member engaged in any form of
misconduct.

Over the years, we have peer-reviewed each other, and
ensured that members remained on the path of professionalism. At one of our
meetings we agreed to name and shame members who indulge in any form of
professional misconduct. We have engaged authorities and private sector
entities in our country on how to enhance professionalism in our country and
deepen trust in the media.

Since the inception of this Guild, the online media space in
Nigeria has ballooned. A number of online news platforms have sprung. This
exponential growth has, understandably, come along with a lot of positives and
not a few negative developments.

While this expansion in the space signify healthy increase
in access to information by Nigerian citizens, as well as democratization of
the space to give way for diversity of voices, it at the same time portends
series of problems.

Chief among these is the unhealthy dose of fake news and
hate speech being dished out through some of these websites and blogs. Indeed,
some of the platforms appear to have been set up solely for propaganda, smear
campaigns or for the spreading of hate.

Just like security agencies and those in authority, we are
equally worried about the proliferation of fake news sites that trade in fake
news, and those who exist to spread hate.

We are concerned beyond our standing
as patriotic citizens but also as online publishers because of how the
activities of some unscrupulous elements are giving us all a bad name.

While we will continue to advocate for widening of the space
for citizens to express themselves, GOCOP is ready to support authorities
concerned in a bid to sanitize this industry.

We however demand that all
stakeholders, including this guild and all other identified Nigerian media
stakeholders join hands to find solution to this problem. We are for sanity but
we do not want a regulatory environment that gags or muscle the nation’s media
space.

Now GOCOP is ready for any another phase in its history.
That is why I am glad that we are passing on the baton today to an outstanding
team of members elected yesterday. I am optimistic that this Guild will only
grow stronger.

*Speech by immediate past acting president of the Guild of Corporate
Online Publishers (GOCOP), Musikilu Mojeed.